By Gomin Dayasri –

Gomin Dayasri

Look around and pick a leader capable of pulling the country fallen into an awful rot; landing in the bin is a responsibility shared. To reach a level of sensibility is the initial task-not to touch greatness, bespoken on political platforms.

It discounts politicians that enjoyed/s power – in past and present tense. Virtually impossible based on their past performances.

Don’t be nihilistic-think differently. Make an effort to retract the slide downhill, before climbing an anthill. Hit ground level and take stock of the findings on soil. Descend from dizzy heights to unaccustomed reality, difficult for an over inflated nation after defeating terrorism.

The ‘glory men’ are at the cleaners.

All is not lost. There are a few in every political party, hibernating in a year around winter unwanted by the leadership; making it near impossible to find a footrest to touch rank. They speak their minds unguardedly to the leaders. When desperation strikes, they are the coming men. Wait in hope for that day, Sri Lanka is not a losers’ paradise.

Sirisena needs another election to fix him at proper political proportions. Presently an inflated midget but has genuinely grown in stature, while in office after being a mere makeshift man. Company he keeps amongst the electorates discarded candidates and as the party president of the SLFP to keep the UNP in power is irreconcilable and is for his personal benefit. His days are numbered till the people next vote on discovery. Best course is to retire honourably to be remembered for services rendered before an obvious downfall. A lesson Rajapaksa failed to learn – a third term is not a possibility even for a war hero gone sour. End of term will not take Sirisena to a nirvana even in the district of Polonnaruwa.

The rot in Lanka started long before Sirisena ascended to Presidency. Worse is unfolding, as a divided government appears split; SLFP MP’s sit on the lap of the President to derive perks, but mock him in the company of the former President to make both look silly as the voters know the merry dances the two waltzing Matildas perform, together with their party men.

To be judgmental, life is harder than before for the people, who undergo power disruptions at the drop of a hat. Economic hardships do not touch the Finance Minister’s wallet and are of little
concern to him. Who is the bright lad that appointed him to a post of high integrity that needs the common touch of the man in the street who feels the pinch most? His selector is not with the people.

Foreigners, to whom we sold the country by signing a joint resolution with the USA, offer incentives to their citizens to withdraw funds invested, that gave us a degree of stability; now lost as green notes fly back home. Can foreign investors place confidence in a government that fails to give teeth to a budget passed without legislation for Inland Revenue to collect the necessary? Next mini budget will drive even the ever faithful away.

Toys of the terrorists are now common discoveries as more remains are being unearthed. Insecurity may surface to cause panic, as the Government is bending backwards to secure the northern vote mindful of a fast decline of its clutch in the south. From which quarter terrorism will originate is a question unanswered. Doubt is more harmful, while offenders roam free to please the TNA that placed Sirisena and the UNP Government in office.

One government failed to offer genuine relief sufficiently speedily to the north while another offered it too rapidly without due concern for security. The North takes everything with both hands and cries for more and more since they are brain washed to ask for the maximum to destabilize the south, in return for doing no more than accepting anything on offer. Who gains? Those that thrive are looking for another blood bath. Bad feelings linger on without a fix.

Our finest hour dawned when we had the world at our feet on overcoming terrorism for more than a fleeting moment (Including from the marauding West); An euphoric leadership with a small mind squandered in failing to rebuild an integrated society that can live in amity forever.

That would have paid eternal dividends to the credit of the ‘most’ rabid Sinhalese. Opportunity was thrown away but would the Tamils have responded without a stable leadership to appreciate what was on offer?

In a rare gesture of friendship southern Sinhalese symbolically sent a food train to the helpless Tamils in the North after the war, before TNA leadership could squat in an open-air toilet in Jaffna. It stopped with just one isolated act of publicized charity. Give credit to such as Gunadasa Amarasekera who initiated the move; sad indeed to see a great man stand forlorn relegated to a minor character standing in a temporary shed to watch the re-launch a twice defeated candidate at Hyde Park. Poor Gunadasa – man of value is manipulated to gain mileage. He too is stupid to be used.

Are the Rajapaksas’ fourth coming to an effort to save his country or his degenerated family from the laws of the land?

Through a popular man others want to find places in the sun for more fun and frolic and urge him on to his distraught. Rajapaksa, lately, shows lack of character and craftiness as the men he selects for a Government in the clouds, consist of any rubbish that comes a begging to him – making a troupe out of such as Sarath N. Silva, who ruined the judiciary once, the smart Dayan Jayatilleka, once banished from his political foreign service or G.L. Peiris, educated man with varied political stances to enlarge his wander lust at State expense, are his thinking tinkers, that will rather distract voters. Juggling the competing trio, in typical Rajapaksa style is simplistic: humour them but shun advice of the ”mola-karayas” (brain trust): instead give ear to Wimal or Udaya as they function at his wavelength to reach the gallery.

There were many that expected before the elections at least a ‘mini messiah’ will arise to erase corruption but after the results he looks more like a shunted dwarf or a snow white that never woke up to a Prince Charming. Role fits Ranil Wickremesinghe- a leader found wanting in the shortest time frame. Wickremesinghe legend will forever keep the UNP in the outer fringes of power, being transparent, is found out fast, as he truly speaks his mind.

Integrity needs a near lifetime to earn but is lost before you say the name of the Governor of the Central Bank. Ranil Wickremesinghe thought unfit to lead the country by himself and his own party has proved the point. His future is dependent on the fragmentation of the opposition and not on his name or fame but on UNP’s past–thought of more badly than favorably.

Downfall of Governments is accelerated often by the conduct of the public servants positioned at the top by the politicians. Office of President Rajapaksa was no different, if at all the worst. A self-taught smart architect of political concepts, resourceful Rajapaksa was too lazy to place it on the drawing board, did not know sufficient English to sign post it and developed a bad habit in selecting a group of habitual non-performers, who knew rudimentary English, to keep a President aloft to an English speaking society.

They indulged more in their own image building exercises and being in Rajapaksa’s inner-circle did his concierge services vainly. Rajapaksa’s weakness was in his kindness; in not removing them, when most around including himself, spoke openly of their weaknesses. If he returns they will be again be in the saddle to ruin him once more. However, none can hold to the standards of Wijeyadasa or Weerakoone or Amerasinghe or Rajendra or Rasaputram or Rajapathirana of yore. India has a stout Civil and Foreign Services, which Sri Lanka lacks due to over-politicisation.

‘Doers’ and the ‘shakers’ were too hazardous; they would learn too much, sufficient to shake an administration. Having them as permanent outsiders, was safer than placing them in an inside track. Downfall of every Government was /is in living with sycophants. They give Paracetmol relief, welcome to politicians in anguish.

Indeed a sad state in a country of ability and talent. Problem is in the style of politics –no decent man cares to enter the arena knowing to survive, it is necessary to join an ill-famed circle or be a tom-tom beater of a political master. Honest few are treated as ‘queers’ kept for cosmetic effect, away from any place a treasure hunter will tread. Such are the unwanted placed in cold storage.

Search is for chorus boys that extol the virtues of their masters. Politicians either exploit or get exploited-there is no third way.

Sycophants tell that they can read the minds of their maestros. Surely can as they do it skillfully. Blame is showered only after a defeat for overdoing too much on overtime. Deep down, it is overdone by fawning public servants and elected palace guards. They are the best candidates to turn crown witnesses or face cases that are deliberately crashed for lack of evidence un-presented by wonky prosecutors. Few know they are the willing agents of the local killing fields.

Who do we turn to in a crisis, which we are in, yet exist unknowingly or to tell more – there is none that can find a solution singularly. In the plural the solutions found are exclusively for the gain of a group.

We fight best, when caught against the wall for a beating in making the renowned come back as in the war.

We are in the hands of men of whom respect has faded away. Look to the next generation for possible salvation.